A triangle's three sides
by maneyan
Summary: Sakura never thought she'd end up in a relationship like this. It was inconcievable. Yet now she is. But her heart is still pounding for the other one she loves. What should she do? Is there any way to both have the cake and eat it? Naruto/Sakura/Ino


**A triangle's three corners**

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Sakura drummed her fingers against the table, lying with her body slumped over it and her head buried in her arms. The silence in the apartment was almost deafening, the anxiety strong enough to choke you. She never would have thought that she would have felt like she wanted to run out of this apartment. To begin with it was a nice apartment, a two-room apartment that was newly renovated and very tastefully decorated. Of course it would be tasteful, Ino knew how to decorate with anything from flowers to drapes. And yeah; Ino, that was the second reason. Ino was her best friend, had been since the academy and they had only gotten closer in these last weeks and months. She was sitting right beside her, her head supported by one hand and the other supporting the first Sakura glanced up at Ino, who met her eyes with a weak smile .

"You okay?" Ino asked and Sakura sighed deeply. She had to ask the hard questions hadn't she?

"I dunno." she said after a while. "The more I think about it the more wrong it feels."

"Still..." Ino begun and Sakura knew what she was going to say.

"Yeah..." she concurred. "I know he's the best option, it is not that..."

"Then what is?" Ino asked, leaning her head somewhat to the right.

"I don't want to do this to him." Sakura said, giving voice to her worries. "No matter what happens I'm going to tear out his heart and stomp on it and even if he does accept..." She stopped now and bit down on her lips. Her anxieties only kept mounting and Ino took her hand now.

"Look," she said softly, "let's take one thing at a time. We'll just have to wait and see what he says about it." Sakura sighed and nodded.

"It would be easier if I wasn't about to probably toss his friendship into the river wrapped in chains and weights..." she muttered and Ino smiled at her sadly. The girl now leaned forward and placed her lips upon Sakura's. Sakura startled, Ino's soft touch made it feel like small sparks of lighting went through her face and mind. She found herself responding, rising from the table and kissing Ino as well. Her breathing came faster and she put one hand on Ino's shoulder, bending her head to the side to better be able to kiss her. Her body reacted at once, almost as if Ino sucked her in she felt like she just wanted to throw herself at her, wrap herself around her and tackle her to the floor. She didn't though. It was this precise thing that had caused the issue at hand.

Five months ago now, during a late evening with some of their old academy friends, Sakura and Ino had both ended up drinking too much and they had both gone back to Ino's place since it was closer. The discussion had ended up being about boys as they had sat there that evening, venting their frustrations about their poor luck in the field. It was Ino that had taken the forbidden step that night, she had as a joke kissed Sakura. Not just with the lips either, she had gone into Sakura's mouth with her tongue and everything. Sakura, starved for someone to hold close to her, had reacted violently, finding herself panting and shivering instantly and when Ino had retreated she had recoiled at the look in Sakura's eyes. The joke had gone too far and they both had sworn to never speak of it again.

That had been easier said than done however. Sakura had found herself more and more thinking of that time. Ino's sweet, soft lips, her eager tongue, the smell of her skin. She had touched something forbidden and couldn't forget it. It had been like a drug to her, one she had cone to crave more of. The desire hadn't gone away, not one bit, and after a pair of weeks Sakura was actually starting to find it hard to focus. Pure chance had made she and Ino both visit one of the preparation rooms in the hospital one day and they forced, stiff. When their hands had bumped into each other at one point it had been like being hit by lightning and Sakura had almost screamed as she pulled back, the patch of skin feeling like it burnt. After that things had turned somewhat blurry. Sakura wasn't quite sure how it had happened but then all of a sudden she and Ino were all over each other.

Caught by a fire that drove them onwards they had furiously assaulted each other, trading deep kisses, fervent groping and the closeness of their bodies for what had felt like hours. They just hadn't been able to stop, the taste, smell and feel of the other had been too addictive. Thankfully the day had been slow, nobody walked in on them. Sakura had shuddered to think what people would say if they had walked in on she and Ino, both half naked and wrapped around each other.

Retreating from the kiss, she sighed. On one hand she wanted to jump Ino again and on the other she almost wished all this had never happened. Ino saw her reaction and shrugged helplessly.

"I love you Sakura." she said, sounding almost miserable. "I dunno what more to do..."

"I already told you!" Sakura almost snapped, "It's got nothing to do with you. Hell, I'm glad you've even gone along with it this far. I'm the one dragging you through this!" She got out of her seat and walked off to the sink where she poured herself a glass of water. Downing it in one go, she looked back at Ino. "Tell me honestly, am I forcing you to do something you don't want?" she asked and Ino shook her head.

"Honestly?" she said, "It'll have to come out at some point. He's really the best option anyway."

"I'm not talking about that..." Sakura sighed. Now Ino smiled.

"You know me." she said, "Slut to the end. No but seriously," she said when Sakura got an angry look on her face at Ino's comment. "I like the idea. He's a great guy and I understand why you want to do this. I'm willing to give it all a try for your sake."

"Thank you..." Sakura said, sighing deeply, "Gods this is all so stupid." a knocking on the door made Sakura startle and Ino almost jumped out of the chair she was in. They both looked at each other with panicked eyes and for a second neither of them moved. It was in the end Ino that acted, however slightly. She nodded towards the door and Sakura sighed. Covering her face in her hands for a moment, she left the sink and walked towards the door. She opened the door with distinct feelings of anxiety and was met with Naruto's face on the other side.

"Hey Sakura-chan!" the happy young man said. Like she and Ino, he was now twenty years old. he had changed from the little runt to a tall, handsome young man. His idiocy, if she could call it that, had been somewhat tempered by maturity and intelligence but she still found herself berating him now and then. Yeah... he was Naruto, the sweetest, most loyal and sincere person she knew. He was one of her most precious people, she couldn't imagine him disappearing. That was why she had called him here.

"Hey Naruto." She said with a sincere smile. "Come in." Naruto obliged and walked into the room. Raising one hand he greeted Ino as well and she responded. Sakura closed the door with a sigh. So far so good, right? Now for the hard part...

"Take a seat Naruto." She told him, "There's something I wanna talk with you about." Naruto looked at her with a surprised eyebrow but sat down, leaning back in the chair. he was completely relaxed, looking between Ino and Sakura with curious eyes. Sakura took her seat beside Naruto and looked at Ino.

"You want me to begin?" she asked and Ino nodded. .

"You kinda look nervous Sakura-chan." Naruto asked, a worried furrow had appeared on his brow. "Has something happened?" Sakura almost giggled from the anxiety and she nodded.

"Yeah." she said, "Something great actually." Naruto shone up at this. Immediately at her words he showed joy for her sake. That only made her feel even worse.

"Really?" he asked, "What is that? Did granny Tsunade make you the head of the hospital at last?" Sakura shook her head and felt like she was going to cry. She had to do it though, not the least because she deserved him being honest.

"I've met someone." she begun, not finding any real words. She could instantly see how Naruto was given pause, stopped in his tracks by the news. For a few seconds he was silent and Sakura could see how he struggled with the news.

"That..." he begun, his voice having lost it's cheer. "That's great." he eventually finished. the words were forced and it was easy to see what he really thought. "Who is it?" he continued, trying to sound somewhat more upbeat. God how much she hoped this would work out!

"It's Ino." she said now, speaking the truth in one quick breath. "I've gotten together with Ino."

Naruto didn't respond now, he just sat and dumbly stared at them both. Blinking, he turned from Sakura to Ino and back again. one hand came out and he started pointing between them. His mouth moved up and down like a fish. After a few seconds he found his voice again, a chuckle coming from it now. Naruto eventually laughed, an uncertain laugh shaking him for a few seconds before he raised one hand and covered his mouth. Eventually he raised one fist and made a thumbs up.

"That was a good one Sakura-chan." he said, still giggling. "You really had me there for a second. I..." Sakura saw that Naruto didn't believe what she said. Frustration and anxiety bubbled up for her and she nearly screamed. She didn't however, Ino acted now and quickly covered Sakura's mouth with hers again, kissing her deeply. This kiss wasn't as tender. It was fast, deep and demonstrative, Sakura managing only just to not recoil. When Ino got off her, however, she turned to look at Naruto only to see him with his mouth and eyes both wide open.

"I... wha..." Naruto begun now, stuttering fiercely. "But you... girls... can't..." that, was also all he said before he fell backwards, his mind shutting down and the chair rolling backwards as he hit the ground unconscious.

"Naruto!" Sakura stood up with her heart pounding in fear. She rushed over to him and knelt by his side, checking his pulse. He was still alive, just unconscious from the shock. Luckily Ino had some smelling salts and they could soon get him to wake up again. When Naruto awoke he saw Ino and Sakura both leaning over him and he sat up instantly, his back stiff, he almost headbutted them. He ended up looking from side to side, his face still shocked. Running a hand through his hair, he took a deep breath.

"Naruto." Sakura begun now, trying make this whole thing work out.

"Wow!" Naruto exclaimed. "This is... wow." he looked back at Sakura, confusion and shock still filling his eyes. "Still I mean..." he eventually made a thumbs up "Good for you. Really I mean, I really hope you can be happy together and all..."

"Naruto, wait, let me finish." Sakura begun now. Naruto however got to his feet and waved his hands.

"It's okay, I mean really." he said, "I just got a bit surprised and all. hey do you mind if I leave for a while? I kinda have something to do and... yeah." He started walking towards the door and Sakura now shot up, grabbing him by his arm.

"Naruto don't!" she exclaimed. Not knowing what else to do, she grabbed him by the jacket and kissed him. Tears had started to form in her eyes and the kiss she gave him was desperate. It wasn't meant to go like this! She didn't want him to take it this badly. She wasn't even done! It probably was selfish of her but she still kissed him, feeling his shocked, unresponsive lips keenly. "It's not that!" she said when breaking off. Naruto had once again ended up shocked and just stared at him. "Naruto please! I love Ino, I wanted to tell you that. But I also love you!" the tears were beginning to flow now as she looked at Naruto, feeling the fear and the desperation intermingle. Please don't let him leave, she begged whatever gods would help her to let him stay. Naruto blinked after a few seconds, his mind trying to recover from the second giant shock of today.

"Dwuh?" Was all he could say. Sakura still held onto him and looked straight into his eyes. "What... what... but..." After a while he could form a somewhat coherent reply. "What is going on here?" he almost yelled, raising his hands in a helpless gesture.

"I love you Naruto." Sakura said, "I really do. I've wanted to tell you that for a long time but I didn't dare to. But I really do! But then all of a sudden. We..." she stopped for a moment now, taking a deep breath before speaking out. "We were drunk, me and Ino..." Naruto's eyes seemed to open even wider now "We didn't plan for this to happen, it just became like that!" Sakura hurried to say "Then all of a sudden we couldn't stop thinking of each other. I love Ino, I really do."

"But you're both girls!" Naruto said. "How does that even work" How can you...?"

"I don't know." Sakura said. "I just don't... But I do, as much as I love you. Naruto, I want you to know I love you, I want to be with you. But I can't abandon Ino. Please. I don't know if you can accept that but I still want to be with you!"

"But... but..." Naruto said now. "What about Ino? Doesn't she love you too? Isn't...?"

"Look Naruto." Ino spoke up now. "Do you seriously think she'd be kissing you three feet from me if I wasn't okay with it?" Ino had her arms folded and a slightly angry look on her face. "Here's the deal. Sakura loves you, she's done that for a long time. But she and I love each other as well. She wants to give you a chance even though she's still with me and I'm okay with that. Do you love her?" She ended with a snap, Sakura looking back at her and trying to stop her from snarling at Naruto.

Naruto looked from Ino back to Sakura and found himself unable to answer. For several moments he stood still, looking around himself as he tried to come up with what to do. His head slowly swung left and right as he tried to think.

"I... he said after a short while. He ran a hand through his hair and took a deep breath. "I don't know..." he said after a while, Sakura feeling it like a knife in her guts, "I need to think about all this, sorry." Naruto said after a short while before he swung around and left the apartment in a hurry. The door slammed shut with a hurry, Sakura looking at the door with a sense of despair building in her stomach as the tears kept running down her eyes.

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The last week had to Sakura been nearly insufferable. Naruto's answer had made her miserable and she had spent the last few days in a painful haze, going through her daily routines with a mechanic attitude to everything. Her mind, meanwhile, was focused on what she more and more felt like she had messed it all up and destroyed her friendship with Naruto. He hadn't spoken a word to her recently and she thanked her luck they hadn't had any missions together or something. She couldn't see how that would have worked out.

As she changed out of her hospital clothes and got into her civilian clothes she wondered what the heck she was going to do for the millionth time. Yet, the answer was the same as it had been one million times before: nothing. She couldn't do anything, she simply had to sit this one out. If she started to hound Naruto nothing good would come out of it. So she just waited, waited and prayed that the guy she loved could accept sharing her with another person.

Why was she such a greedy bitch? She already had Ino, didn't she? Why had she decided to confess to Naruto as well, dragged Ino along as if to say "just you isn't enough" to her and "You're only getting half of me" to Ino. She left the hospital, thinking about the situation with a distinct feeling of misery.

It was this misery that made her fail to notice the person standing outside the back entrance of the hospital. Sakura walked with her eyes drilling into the ground and her head filled with thoughts, therefore she didn't hear the first calling of her name.

"Sakura-chan!" it was the second time that it was called, this time louder and more frantic. Her heart skipped a beat and she startled before spinning around, coming face to face with Naruto. He was standing a few meters away, seemingly having waited there for a while. Sakura found herself unable to move, her heart having started to pound. Naruto didn't say anything at first, having come up to her but now just looking around uncertainly. Not that Sakura was any better off, she felt like she couldn't breathe. After a short while Naruto spoke up, scratching himself behind the head as he smiled awkwardly.

"Hey..." he begun, Sakura feeling her mouth dry up. "...W...wanna go get something to eat?" he eventually finished, Sakura feeling it almost like a punch in her guts. She suddenly found herself hoping, begging desperately that it wasn't too late already. Nodding nervously, she watched how Naruto almost exclaimed in relief. Neither of them said anything while heading for a place to eat. They ended up at Ichiraku's, the owner greeting them both with his usual jolly cheer and Naruto awkwardly ordering two bowls of ramen. The old man behind the stand was about to say something but kept quiet when he saw the look on Naruto's face.

Sakura, meanwhile, sat down on one of the footstools and thought furiously, perhaps she should say something? Fidgeting, she looked in all directions without knowing what to do. Really what was there to say?

"Sakura-chan..." Naruto said, Sakura almost leaping out of her skin from the fright. Tensing up, she looked at him after a few seconds and saw him look down into the table, his face unreadable. Then however, she felt something on her hand. Turning to look, she saw that Naruto had reached over and taken her hand. Looking up at her, Naruto gave her a nod and a small smile, one that soon turned into an even bigger one.

Sakura felt like her heart would explode. With tears coming out of her eyes, she threw herself into Naruto's arms, sobbing with relief as the person she hoped more than anything else could accept her, did so.

* * *

A few days had passed since that day and Naruto stood outside Ino's apartment with a slight fidgeting in his posture. Even if seemingly everything he had ever wanted had come true it was still all so confusing. Sakura loved him, wanted to be his girlfriend. She was his now and he was hers. But his girlfriend had a girlfriend too. Did that make Ino Naruto's girlfriend too? The whole matter was so damn complicated and Naruto had done everything to think about it but he always ended up with his mind spinning. Eventually he had decided that he had to talk with Ino, sort this whole thing out.

Still... Ino was scary... she had always been. Naruto didn't know what was gonna happen here. Obviously, Ino was very cute. Hot even. Seductive and sultry. Naruto hadn't read Icha Icha without learning something. Heck, he didn't hesitate to admit that she was someone he'd really like to get a good peek on in the baths. And well now... the possibilities were endless!

She was still scary though.

Knocking the door, Naruto steeled himself and waited outside the door almost as if he was waiting for an explosive seal to go off. the seconds seemed endless and when she finally opened the door he almost flinched. He didn't however, the sight that met him stopped him cold.

Ino had evidently been in the shower, she was wearing a towel only and her hair was wet and clung to her neck and shoulders. Naruto's thoughts about the bath returned in full force. Ino didn't know what his perverted mind was occupied with however, she only smiled at him.

"Oh hey it's you." she said amiably, way more amiably than he ever would have expected. "I'm in the shower at the moment but come in. I'll finish up in a minute." With that, she opened the door for him and stepped back. Naruto didn't walk inside however, he didn't know what to do at the moment. Ino folded her arms now and looked at him. One eyebrow rose after a second. "Aren't you coming inside?" she asked. Naruto realized what he was doing and darted inside in a second straight.

"Sorry..." he mumbled, walking straight into the main room and sitting down in the sofa there. Ino seemed to smile at him for some reason. She disappeared into the bathroom again however and Naruto sat perfectly straight in the sofa until she came out again, over three minutes later. She had donned a bathrobe now and dried her hair somewhat. She came up to him and sat down beside him in the sofa now, Naruto almost bolting instantly to the other end of the sofa. Still, he had to stay calm here for Sakura-chan's sake.

"So, did you want something?" Ino asked as she looked at him and Naruto took a deep breath. Sink or swim. He thought of it like that time Ero-sennin had pushed him into that ravine. Either he did or he died, that mindset helped now.

"Yeah." he said. "I'm here about this whole thing with Sakura-chan and all." he said, Ino leaning towards the armrest and supporting her head against it with her lower arm as she crossed her legs.

"What about it?" Ino asked.

"I still don't get it." Naruto admitted. "I mean, Sakura is my girlfriend now, right?" Ino nodded at this but Naruto just kept going. "But then she also has you as a girlfriend. You're each others' girlfriends. But how does that work then, I mean. When you have a relationship and all it's like that the different parts in it love each other and that. I love Sakura-chan, and you do too. But..." he helplessly flailed now, not managing to say it.

"But how about you and me?" Ino asked, a slight giggle coming from her now.

"Yeah I mean!" Naruto tried to vocalize his worries as well as he could. "I mean doesn't it kinda become that you get half of Sakura-chan and I the other? Isn't that unfair to you? I mean you give everything and get half of what she gives? I dunno it just..."

"Unfair to me?" Ino asked. "What about you then? Don't you mind?" Naruto instantly shook his head as much as he could.

"No!" he almost yelled, "If Sakura-chan loves you too I want you to be with her. It just feels like... I dunno."

Ino couldn't stop it now, she begun to laugh. The girl clutched her stomach as she bent forwards, unable to do anything but quiver from the paroxysms of laughter that shook her. Naruto, meanwhile, just sat beside Ino as she laughed, not knowing what to do. Somehow he had a feeling this wasn't going very well.

When Ino had managed to recover she looked at Naruto with a wide smile and tears in her eyes. Wiping them away, she spoke up again.

"That's why she did this you know." Ino told him. "Sakura and I kinda just fell in together. We were drunk and it got out of hand and afterward we couldn't stop thinking about each other. But the thing is that Sakura still loved you, she just didn't realize it until she had gotten together with me. But really if you feel it's unfair then don't. Wanna know why?" she asked and Naruto nodded intensely.

"Well you know fishcake." Ino said now, her voice a bit quieter as she leaned towards him in the sofa in a way that gave Naruto very very VERY good view of her chest. It became kind of hard for Naruto to focus now, she had a lot to show. "Seeing as how you've spent the last years with the nose in those Icha Icha books you probably know what a slut is." She smiled at him and Naruto blinked, his eyes wide and body stiff. In the end he nodded. "I'm one." Ino told him, "I've slept around for years, with more guys than I can remember. But Sakura? She's the first time I've felt needed, felt loved. She means everything to me and I do the same for her. But she still loves you, still want to be with you. She's not doing this because she's a greedy person, she's doing it because you, who you are, has earned her love since a long time ago. She does love me but also you. And me? I don't mind. I trust you, totally, and I know you love her. I'm willing to share Sakura with you too, because you are you, you are trustworthy enough that I can give you half of the one I love. Besides..." Now she smirked again. Crawling closer towards him, she made Naruto start inch away from her. "I've fantasized for months about getting a piece of you you know." she said with a smile that was almost predatory. "I never would have thought it but damn did the runt become a yummy little treat." She grinned at him now before she mounted him, Naruto almost squealing.

"If you worry about Sakura not giving me enough, give some to me as well." she said from her position straddling her, Naruto stared at her with panic in his eyes. "Treat me like me, give me what you want to give. I'll accept it, I can be yours now, if you promise to take care of me too. Love is to share all things. we share Sakura and she will share us." her face came closer to his, her lips brushing over his forehead. "I'll let you in with me Naruto," she put her hand on her heart, "And you better take care of what I give you. I promise I'll take care of you in return. But you know what? For now, screw Sakura. Want to get to know each other better?" she leaned in towards Naruto, her face only inches from his as she whispered seductively. "I'm yours for the taking." she whispered only an inch from his ear.

Naruto trembled, anxiety and uncertainty filling him and nearly paralyzing him. His uncertainties went in close combat with the effect Ino had on him and it was first after a while that he could move. What he did, however, was that he pushed Ino away, holding her at arm's length by the shoulders. He looked down into his own clothes, his arms trembling. Ino's eyes opened wide and for a second everything was silent.

"Ino-chan..." Naruto begun. "Do you promise I'm not betraying Sakura-chan by doing this?" he asked with a low voice, his anxieties clear as day.

"Silly boy..." Ino whispered, releasing herself from his arms and embracing his head. Naruto made a short, muffled sound as Ino gently stroked his hair ."This was Sakura's idea from the start she whispered, "She didn't want to be the center of this relationship, she wanted it to be a triangle from the start. Three corners, each as important. When you are away she and I comfort each other. When I'm away she and you, when she away you and me. If you want to of course." Now Ino pulled back and gave Naruto a wry smirk.

"You girls are scary, you know that?" Naruto said, staring at her. Ino giggled.

"So I've heard." she said. "Yes or no fishcake?" she continued as she, still straddling Naruto, opened her bathrobe. Naruto gave up a choked sound now however he seemed to be adapting. The number one unpredictable shinobi of Konoha had always possessed a strength of adaptability and this time he didn't end up mute and paralyzed. Ino would soon find out why exactly he was also called the number one hyperactive shinobi of Konoha.

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A/N: So yeah, a threesome fic, would you believe it? Threesomes are something I've practically never seen done well on this site. Now obviously, it's a bit hard to get how it really is to be in that kinda relationship unless you have experienced it. Yet, what many people don't even think about are the inherent trust issues that appear in these kinda relationships. I mean, you're sharing the one you LOVE with someone, that takes a fuckload of tolerance to deal with. But yeah, I think I did a decent job with this. See ya!


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